Close watch: Health care reform law should prompt discussion

It is a good thing that North Carolina's legislative leaders are talking about what's next with the Affordable Care Act and what effect it will have on North Carolina.

There are still so many opinions and so many unknowns -- and there are still major questions about what effect this law will have on state budgets and taxpayers' pockets.

And the bottom line is that while some people might like to make it so, this is not about politics -- or, at least, it should not be.

This is not a time to stand with the president or to manipulate deadlines to avoid the effect of the law's consequences on an off-year election bid.

It is also not a time to sit on the laurels of the fact that most Americans are not too happy with the law and to ignore the very real problems with health care costs in this country.

Talking about the law and its realities is a critical part of the state's planning for the future. But so, too, is discussing alternative solutions for the health care issues this state faces.

What we hope happens is that someone, somewhere starts a solution-centered discussion that leaves politics at the door.

Well, at least we can hope.

Published in Editorials on March 19, 2014 11:10 AM